Hotline #286 - March 14, 2003

On March 12, the leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee -- Chairman Don Young (R.-Alaska) and Ranking Democrat James Oberstar (Minn.) -- outlined their plans for reauthorizing the highway and transit programs. They would increase highway and transit spending to a total of $375 billion over six years (2004-09) to address congestion and safety issues of concern to the Committee.

To do that would require increasing revenues to the Highway Trust Fund. Among the ideas to be considered by the Committee will be drawing down the trust fund balance ($18 billion), diverting trust fund interest from general revenues to the trust fund ($12-14 billion), eliminating highway tax evasion ($3-4 billion), diverting gasohol tax revenues to the trust fund ($3-4 billion), bringing gasohol taxes to par with gasoline taxes ($7-8 billion), increasing gasoline taxes ($70-75 billion).

TEA-21 in 1998 diverted trust fund interest to general revenues as a condition for allowing the Highway Trust Fund to be "firewalled" from the rest of the federal budget. Gas taxes have not been raised since 1993 and, due to inflation, have not maintained their value (or purchasing power -- click here for more about that). The current tax structure will not support six years of spending at current levels.

Passenger rail was not mentioned in the Committee's written statement. Chairman Young likely will move RIDE-21 (the Young-Oberstar high-speed rail bill) and aviation and Amtrak reauthorization bills separately.

The Surface Transportation Policy Project is calling for preservation of the TEA-21 program structure. At a March 10 news conference in Washington, STPP highlighted TEA-21 success stories such as free student bus passes for low-income students in Contra Costa County, Cal., and significantly expanded transit between Contra Costa and Marin Counties, serving major employers (the old service ended at 6:00 pm) -- "Mothers who'd been out of work for years now have jobs." An American Heart Association representative said auto-dependent transportation policies help explain why the number of overweight Americans doubled in the last 20 years and the obesity rate has tripled among adolescents; today, 2/3 of Americans and 1/3 of our children are overweight, and 75% of students do not bike or walk to school.

In response to questions, STPP's incoming president, Anne Canby, said it was premature to discuss specific funding levels. However, the mayor of Charlotte strongly supported funding increases, as well as the right of cities to use some airport revenues to help set up landside transit and highway connections for airports.

Amtrak has been encouraged enough by progress in Michigan that it has offered to run two threatened trains -- Pere Marquette (Chicago-Grand Rapids) and International (Chicago-Lansing-Port Huron) -- for 45 days beyond the expiration of its contract with Michigan DOT. That means the new deadline is May 15, not March 31. While the DOT has $8.3 million in its budget, more than the $7.1 million Amtrak sought for the fiscal year, a state law caps spending on the trains to $5.7 million.

On March 12, Rep. Lauren Hager (R.-St. Clair) introduced a "fast-track" bill to lift the legal cap. It was co-sponsored by Rep. Bill Huizenga (R.-Zeeland; near Holland on the Pere Marquette route). But the state's budget problems, and negative newspaper editorials in Port Huron and Lansing, have acted to slow progress on the measure.

House Appropriations Chairman Scott Shackleton (R.-Sault Ste. Marie) told the Lansing State Journal that he's undecided on the matter. "It's not an endless barrel of money. We're going to have to take a real hard look at this. I really kind of feel like Amtrak, to some degree, is holding us hostage saying, 'Give us the money or we'll take away the service.'" However, the amount Amtrak sought for a full year of service has been known for many months.

As was the case last month in Missouri, NARP has e-mailed and written all its Michigan members urging them to take action. Michigan legislators can be reached at P.O. Box 30014 for Representatives, P.O. Box 30036 for Senators, Lansing, MI 48909 (same zip code for both). Amtrak's offer to run the trains beyond March 31 does not yet mean it will actually happen; and so far there is only a House bill. There is no Senate bill and nothing has been passed by the legislature.

Save Our Trains will hold another rally in favor of saving the International. The rally will be March 15, 11:00 am, at the Port Huron Amtrak station, 2223 16th St.

Amtrak will be making menu improvements in its dining cars, effective April 1. Each meal period will feature one choice more than offered today (including a "special" at dinner). Also, there will be three menu "cycles" (or groupings) offered across the system, with no single train having the same menu cycle in one direction as in the other -- guaranteeing that round-trip passengers won't have the exact same menu coming and going. Trains that run for two nights will have different specials and vegetables for each dinner. After six months, one menu cycle will be replaced with a new one. Certain beverages -- coffee, tea (hot and cold), milk -- will be included in the price at all meals (and juice at breakfast). Seasonings made available to chefs will be increased.

The menu restrictions that were instituted in 2002 for budgetary reasons were unpopular with frequent travelers. This new menu system will help to increase variety in the dining car.

A new poll says that 81% of Americans believe that increased investment in public transportation is good for the economy, congestion relief, and energy use. The poll was commissioned by the American Public Transportation Association, and conducted by Wirthlin Worldwide. The poll also had 72% in support of using public funds for expansion and improvement of public transportation, and 64% likely to support Congressional candidates who favor such improvements.

Mudslides disrupted Amtrak service between Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C., between March 9 and 11.  The Empire Builder was turned at Everett, Wash. Alternate transportation was provided.

Elsewhere on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, an avalanche near Essex, Mont., blocked the Empire Builder route for a few days at midweek. Parallel U.S. 2 also was closed for awhile. Amtrak trains were terminated at Whitefish and Havre on March 12 with a bus-bridge in between. Trains that were to leave Seattle/Portland and St. Paul on March 12 were annulled, with no alternate transportation. A westbound train ran Chicago-St. Paul only on March 12 (and back the next day). Trains originating March 13 were annulled between Whitefish and Havre (with bussing in between).

Due to a concrete-tie project on Union Pacific, Amtrak's Coast Starlight will detour between Marysville, Cal., and Klamath Falls, Ore., from March 15 until May 7 -- on certain trips only. Those are trains that originate March 15-24, March 31-April 9, April 15-22, and April 26-May 7. The detour route runs on the Feather River route, via Keddie and Bieber, Cal., subject to delays of about 3:30 hours. Connections will not be guaranteed.  No alternate transportation will be provided for the missed stops (Chico, Redding, Dunsmuir).

Amtrak has again updated its available, but temporary, discounts. Currently, the "Spring 1-2-Free" promotion allows two options. First, one adult paying full fare can travel with a second adult paying half-fare, and (optionally) with a third adult traveling free. Second, one adult traveling alone can get a 25% discount.  The current program, using promotion code H270, is available for sale March 16 through April 30, for use March 19 through August 28. The discount is not good on Acela Express, Metroliner, or Downeaster.

There is also a 50% discount promotion in California, sold through March 28, for travel through March 30.  The promotion code is H267. See the Amtrak web site for details.

NARP Region 4 will meet on March 15 in Baltimore, Md. On March 22, Region 1 meets in Providence and Region 6 meets in Detroit.